[Icom] Precise meaning of DSP re: IC-756 etc.

[Chris BONDE]

Since the JPS NIR-12 is no longer available, can you recommend something 
similar that is available.  Also at what price for the extra gain.

Chris opr VE7HCB

At 07:56 AM 2003-02-22 -0500, you wrote:

>Dear ICOMers:
>
>I own an ICOM IC-756 PRO II. Have had it only a few weeks but feel very 
>comfortable with it and am generally pleased with the investment. I also 
>own a JPS NIR-12 Noise and Interference Reducer. For those of you who are 
>not familiar with the NIR-12, it is a highly configurable digital signal 
>processor that is placed in series with the audio output of a receiver and 
>drives a speaker or headphones.
>
>I have used the NIR-12 with my ICOM 751A and ICOM 761 and it was the 
>single best accessory I have ever added to my station when these rigs were 
>the primary HF radio.
>
>I agree that some comments about DSP can be less than fully 
>comprehensible. Being more precise would be a good thing.
>
>There is, of course, no question that the IF DSP of the PRO II is about as 
>configurable as one could hope for when it comes to removing adjacent 
>frequency interference. The PRO II does not offer any meaningful AUDIO 
>DSP, which for $3000 seems like an oversight. I still use the NIR-12 with 
>the PRO II. Having the NIR-12 online gives me the flexibility to find the 
>absolute best combination of RF and AF interference removal.
>
>The NIR-12 offers Noise Interference Reduction that is adjustable from 
>almost nothing to fully automatic, Dynamic Peaking that pulls voice audio 
>out of the noise and makes voice audio much easier to hear, audio 
>bandwidth that can be varied from wide open to as narrow as 50 Hertz with 
>the audio peak frequency adjustable from 200 Hertz to 3400 Hertz. The 
>NIR-12 includes an automatic notch that can eliminate as many as 5 
>heterodynes simultaneously from the audio output. This feature is similar 
>to the PRO II's automatic notch. In short, the NIR-12 is an absolutely 
>amazing and effective enhancement to any HF receiver. With the IC-751A and 
>IC-761, I found that I ran the RF filtering fairly wide and let the fully 
>adjustable capability of the NIR-12 do most of the selectivity work for 
>me. [ NIR-12 originally retailed for about $300. ]
>
>[ Unfortunately, JPS has discontinued serving the Amateur market. Their 
>products are no longer available. :-(  ]
>
>The PRO II is capable of amazing feats of RF selectivity. However, if you 
>monitor a voice net or engage in a lengthy voice or CW ragchew, the random 
>noise and static can be draining. No amount of IF DSP will remove the 
>hiss, static and random noise found in the demodulated output of the 
>receiver's RF section. The NIR-12 processes the audio output of the PRO II 
>and essentially eliminates noise, hiss, most static and accentuates voices 
>(or the desired CW pitch) so well that listening for a long while is a 
>pleasure. You have to hear it to believe it.
>
>If the PRO II included AUDIO DSP in addition to its IF DSP, then it truly 
>would be the most complete and perfect amateur HF radio available 
>anywhere. With the addition of the NIR-12, my PRO II is indeed the perfect 
>HF radio for me. Perhaps someday there will be a 756 PRO XXXVII which 
>includes all of the AUDIO DSP functionality I have described herein.
>
>So [ if you've made it this far ] perhaps it would be best if messages 
>posted included a more detailed description of the type of DSP being 
>discussed since there is such a clear and distinguishable difference 
>between the RF and AF DSP capabilities one can enjoy in these fine HF radios.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>73,
>Frank N. Haas KB4T
>Florida
>
>
>
>
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